Both sides arrive at this game, the first after a rest weekend in the schedule, in very different form.

Ireland snatched a last-gasp win in Paris first time out this year before thrashing Italy at home to confirm their attacking prowess.

Joe Schmidt’s men have lofty ambitions of taking an unbeaten record to Twickenham on the final day for a potential Grand Slam decider – but have to overcome a replenished Wales side first.

Warren Gatland welcomed back three British and Irish Lions into his backs this week in the wake of 12-6 defeat to England and Wales look better than the 7/2 underdogs they are listed as with the bookies.

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Ireland vs Wales half-and-half scarves on sale in Dublin

Ireland 37 – Wales 27 LIVE

TRY IRELAND! (Stockdale 80+1′)

There it is! Wales are forced to work the ball wide and throw it around in search of some metres but Stockdale picks the perfect moment and intercepts on the halfway line to streak away as the clock turns red. That’s the game!

And what a game. Ireland were pushed all the way, Sexton was concerningly mediocre off the tee but the Irish pack were excellent and Chris Farrell was a real weapon in the middle, earning him the man of the match award.

TRY WALES! (Evans 77′)

Oh good heavens. Simple running and passing from Wales and Steff Evans is in! Halfpenny DRILLS the conversion and it’s three points again!!

PENALTY IRELAND (Murray 76′)

North gets a rare moment to run with the ball up the right as Wales show their attacking prowess but the opportunity goes and Ireland end up winning a penalty at the scrum. They take the points and it’s Conor Murray who takes the chance to make it a two-score game again.

68 MINS

Ireland refuse the chance to take three points from the 22 and take a quick tap instead. They nearly find away through but Wales hold firm – just – and force a knock-on. They will have a scrum in their own 22.

TRY WALES! (Shingler 63′)

It’s not over yet! Biggar does what Biggar does best, regathering his own kick in midfield and Wales go wide through Steff Evans, who offloads to Liam Williams and while Wales are initially stopped, they go the other way and Aaron Shingler is the beneficiary in the right corner.

Halfpenny adds a fine conversion from the right touchline and the gap is down to seven. George North is on too with Gareth Anscombe going to fly-half.

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TRY IRELAND! (Healy 54′; conversion missed)

Ireland have the bonus point. The pressure is just too much to withstand and Healy batters over from a metre after a half-break by CJ Stander.

Sexton misses another kick, from the touchline in fairness, but it’s hardly ideal. Four missed today now.

50 MINS

The pressure is piling on from Ireland now as they go in search of a fourth, bonus-point try. They kick the penalty into the corner after Wales keep the wolf from the door on their own line, and then steal the lineout. However, Moriarty can’t break out of his own in-goal area and that is a scrum to Ireland on the five-metre line…

TRY IRELAND! (Leavy 45′)

The Wales defence is starting to crumble now after such a draining first half. A turnover leads to a Keith Earls break and he finds Conor Murray. Ireland recycle 15 metres out after a couple of phases, flanker Dan Leavy is the man who picks up from the base of the ruck and score. The Dublin boy celebrates a painful blow for the Welsh so soon after the break.

40 MINS

Back underway in Dublin without any changes. Ireland had more than 75 per cent possession in that first half – main focus will be turning that into more than a two-point lead.

****HALF-TIME****

TRY IRELAND! (Aki 40+2′)

There it is! The pressure on the Welsh line is too much to cope with and Bundee Aki bursts through from short range. Wales have had a good 40 minutes but go in behind. Were it not for Sexton’s misfiring right boot, the gap would be greater. Set up for a fine second period. See you in 15.

PENALTY IRELAND (Sexton 36′)

No try this time and Sexton gets his kicking boots back on and Ireland have cut the lead back to just five.

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Gareth Davies hit back for Wales

PENALTY WALES (Halfpenny 31′)

Back to Business as usual for the Wales full-back. The lead is eight points but Ireland have a penalty advantage and are going through the phases in the Wales try-line…

26 MINS

That’s a miss for Halfpenny too now, as he skews one wide but from about 51 metres out – so that’s forgivable I suppose. Wales still going strong after that try though. However, a mistake at the breakdown allows Ireland a penalty to release the pressure.

TRY WALES! (Davies 21’)

Bundee Aki knocks the ball on in his own 22 and it falls to Gareth Davies, who runs diagonally eight metres out before selling Stockdale a beautiful dummy and going over to score. Fabulous finish but that is punishment for Ireland’s profligacy with the boot.

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Jacob Stockdale scored the first try of the match for Ireland

15 MINS

What on earth is going on with Johnny Sexton. He hadn’t missed a Six Nations kick in two years when the championship began – now he’s missed three (two genuinely easy, one tough) in 15 minutes. Ireland are on the front foot and should be 11-3 – not 5-3 – up.

TRY IRELAND! (Stockdale 7′)

Sexton immediately makes up for that miss! Ireland are driving with penalty advantage and the fly-half delivers the perfect 10-metre pass to Stockdale on the left wing and the Ulster wing is in for an easy score.

He misses the kick from the touchline too though. Not perfect yet.

5 MIN

Johnny Sexton has missed an INCREDIBLY simple kick from in front of the posts just outside the 22. Fades it against the right post. A forward pass from the rebound allows Ireland a scrum in a great attacking position but that’s a poor start from Sexton.

PENALTY WALES (Halfpenny 3′)

Any worries about Leigh Halfpenny’s foot injury have been quickly dismissed – a Biggar crosskick catches Ireland offside from the Keith Earls knock-on and Halfpenny bangs in over from 40 metres.

2.15pm: Once both sides turn up, we have the two sides singing and now Dan Biggar will kick us off. Here we go in round three…

2.05pm: On the other side, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt is charge with the task of breaking a three-game streak without a win over Wales in the Six Nations. They didn’t even manage a try last time out – but remain big favourites to win at home today.

If they are to fulfil that, they will have to nullfy the likes of Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Biggar – as well as George North off the bench.

Wales players in the tunnel so we’ll be doing the anthems (blooming great anthems today) in a few minutes. Ireland are making Wales wait though. Mind games have started early.

Six Nations 2018 prize money

Sat, February 3, 2018

Express Sport takes a look at how much each team could win in the 2018 Six Nations (Figures based on 2017 prize allocations)

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How much will each team win during the 2018 Six Nations?

1.50pm: We should pay tribute to Warren Gatland today, who takes charge of Wales for the 100th time. Interestingly, earlier this week he revealed how taking the job in the first place was the hardest thing to do.

“I was sitting there with the contract in front of me and my heart was pounding.

“I was thinking, ‘Am I doing the right thing? I am not sure. Shall I just get up and walk out?’ I have never told anyone this, but my daughter Gabby rang me and said, ‘Dad, don’t do it’.

“Then she rang me back 20 minutes later and said, ‘If you want to do it, I will support you’.

“That was quite hard from a family perspective, but I signed the contract and that was the start.”

1.30pm: Boy it’s chilly in Dublin today. Highs of four degrees Celsius expected so everybody (except those brave chaps in short shorts in the middle) will be wrapped up warm.

But they should find their soul warmed by an intriguing match-up between two sides with stacks of talent – but one with a loss already this year.

Wales are still smarting from what they saw as a dodgy TMO decision at Twickenham and an aerial assault from England and will be out for revenge, no doubt.